Chiefs get it in Gear midway through the 3rd, downs the Pats 26-10

Kansas City ChiefsNew England PatriotsNFL

Oct 7

Is there truly no one that can stop Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and that unfathomably talented offense? Even the great Bill Belichick has struggled at times, but when you combine that with no Cam Newton due to COVID-19 it becomes an even tougher task. You add in Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham’s turnover and you are looking at a double-digit loss. The Chiefs won 26-10 and the game was closer than you think.

The Patriots came in with a plan and it was executed well until the third quarter. The first half ended 6-3 Chiefs, and Bill’s plan to just don’t let Mahomes touch the ball was working well. The Patriots were in the game because of two things; Running the football and defense. The defense was able to hold the explosive offense out of the endzone and to just two field goals. While the Patriots started off slow, they ended the half with two long drives. One went for 13-play, 60 yards and the other was 13-play, 39 yards. Unfortunately, they only managed to get three points out of those trips.

Brian Hoyer couldn’t get it going all night in the passing game as the Chiefs defense was holding up. Hoyer threw a pick early and just didn’t push the ball down the field. The run game is where the majority of the damage was done. The running backs combined for 174 yards rushing. In particular, with Sony Michels out, Damien Harris had a great game on the ground. IN 17 carries he racked up 100 yards with a 41-yard burst in the third quarter on a touchdown drive.

The Pats, after getting down by two scores, switched quarterbacks for Jarrett Stidham. He gave them a quick spark and led a scoring drive that was capped off with a four-yard pass from Jarrett Stidham to N’Keal Harry for the touchdown. It seemed that Belichick might be able to pull this out until the next two possessions shut the door on them.

The Chiefs can only be contained for so long and in the middle of the third quarter, they got it in gear. They went nine plays, 75 yards in 4 minutes and 48 seconds, which was finished off with a Mecole Hardman touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes. Then on the next Patriots snap, Stidham throws a pass to Edelman that goes through his hands and into the waiting arms of the honey badger Tyrann Mathieu. He caught it and ran it back 25 yards for the pick-six which then put the Cheifs up for good.

Continuing their great play the Chiefs defense finished out the Patriots drives with an interception and a turnover on downs. Rashad Fenton made the interception and great return to stop a promising drive to bring it within one. Then the next drive the defense just stifled them after two quick chunk plays to end the game.

Without Cam Newton this Patriots team might be in some trouble, but as for the Chiefs. They are sitting pretty at the top of the food chain in the NFL.